Sparkless circuit-breaker



(NoModel.)

L. I-I. SPELLIER.

SPARKLESS CIRCUIT BREAKER.

Patented Jul-y 21, 1885.

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LOUIS H. SPELLlER, OF PHiLADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPARKLESS ClRCUlT=BREAKER.

Sl-CECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 322,494-, dated July 2l, 1885.

Application filed January 9, 1884. Renewed November 20, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis H. SPELLIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and luseful Improvement in Sparkless Circuit- Breakers, of which the following is a specifi4 cation.

My invent-ion relates to means for preventing a spark upon the interruption of an electro-magnetic circuit.

It is a well-known fact that when an electric current in a conductor turned upon itself is interrupted an eXtra current appears, which is rapidly discharged at a point of interruption with conversion of its energy into light and heat, and the consequent production of a spark, which is more or less'destructive, according` to the tension of the current. To prevent this spark, therefore, it is necessary to supply means for preventing the eXtra current from thus manifesting itself.

rllhe object of my invention is to supply these means in a simple and effective form, and thus produce a circuit-breaker iu which any spark from the extra current is obviated, that shall at once be of simple construction, and practically applicable to useful purposes.

Heretofore it has been proposed to prevent the excessive spark which occurs at themachine when the current of a dynamo-electric apparatus is suddenly interrupted by forming a short circuit around the eld-of-foree magnets when the switch is turned for the purpose of cutting off the current through the main curcuit, thus robbing the field-efforce magnets of the current which energizes them, and materially decreasing the strength of the current generated, while at the same time the iiow to the line is diverted into the short circuit; but in such case there is no carrying off of any extra current, there being a mere stoppage of the source of generation, and the influence of the spark to be obviated is not at the point of interruption in a supplied line or system, but at the supplying part-wiz., at the machine or battery-and is not even there absolutely prevented; and, besides, the invention is in the eld of magnetoelectricity, not in that of electromagnetism. Even in the field of electro-magnetism, however, and in the course of the supplied line, where there is a rotatory circuit-breaker, it has been proposed to prevent the spark; but in such case the result is to be achieved by interposition of resistance to effect diffusion.

It has also been proposed to prevent a spark in the course of the supplied line where there are key circuit-breakers by short-circuiting just before completion of the long or main circuit, then disconnecting the short circuit to let the current flow through the long or main circuit and again short-circuiting for a moment just at the time of interruption of the long or main circuit; but in such case there is no rotary or circularly moving device effecting the make and break, and there are, in fact, two separate short-circuitings-nainely, a shortcircuiting at the make, as well as one at the break.

Hy invention consists in the combination, with a device capable of rotatory or circular motion and placed in an electro-magnetic circuit, of a conductor connecting with a point of eiiiuence` upon such device at the moment of interruption of or break in the current of the line, and disconnecting therewith just after make in the current thereof, whereby there is but a single short-circuiting-namely, at the break.

In the accompanying drawing I have illus trated diagrammatically one means of carrying my invention into effect, like marks of reference referring to corresponding facts and parts.

The rotating device in this case is shown as a wheel or disk, A, which is in effect a commutator, and has as many electro-conductive projections or pins c, which may be placed either laterally or upon its circumference, as it is desired to have openings and closings of the circuit during the completion of one revolution. The device may be in the form of a circularly-swinging pendulum. It is obvious that instead of projections or pins the rotatory device may be supplied at intervals with insulating material.

B represents a suitable battery, and C represents an electro-magnet placed in the main circuit D. E represents a short circuit, which may either open into the main circuit beyond the electro-magnet or return directly to the battery. rlhe axle of the comlnutator is represented by b.

d, d', and c represent terminals of the bat- IOO tery, (l and d representing terminals ot' the main line, while c representsaterminal ofthe short circuit. It is intended in this case that the terminal d shall restupon or be electrically connected with the axle, while d is to make 'contact with the pins or projections to complete the main circuit. I prefer to have the terminals in the form ol" springs. rIhe ter minal d' being in contact with a pin, completes the main circuit, and the current takes the course shown by the arrows marked l. rIlhe terminal c is placed a little higher than the terminal d', and therefore does not touch the pin a as the commutator A rotates until after the pin has been an appreciable time in contact with the terminal df; but as the commutator continues to turn the terminal e will, a moment before the terminal tl leaves the pin or projection, also come into contact with it, at which moment the terminal e will make a short circuit through the conductor E, when the course ol" the battery-current becomes that indicated by the arrows marked 2, while the induced current from the magnet, which appears at the moment the short circuit is made, since this short circuit depletes the magnet, takes the course indicated by the arrows marked 3. A moment after the terminal d leaves the pin or projection the terminal c fol lows it and the short circuit is also broken.

rIhe l'act that the sparks ofthe induced current of electro-magnetic instruments will destroy the contact-surfaces, by which. the making and breaking ot' the circuit is effected, is very keenly felt in current-breakers for electro -magnctic time -telegraphs, and this has been a great drawback t-o the adoption of such means for transmitting time.

In practice I have l'ound it convenient to attach the rotatory device d, in the form of a disk, to the escape-wheel of a clock, when it will turn with such escape-wheel as a motor.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patentis il.. The combination, with a device capable of rotatory or circular motion and placed in an electro-magnetic circuit, ol' a conductor connecting with a point of ctlluence upon such device at the moment ot' interruption ol' or break in the current of the line, and disconi'iecting therewith just after the make ot' the current thereof, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A spark-arrester consisting otacommu` tator rotating between a series ol" terminals ot' an electric generator7 two or more ot' which terminals are arranged to have one electrically*communicating contactsurt'acc in common, in combination with two separate shortA circuits, one for the electric generator and the other connecting directly the wire terminals of an electrovmagnet to establish an unbroken circuit for the induced current by keeping the short circuit of the extra current closed, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a generator of electricity, B, ot' an electromagnet, C, located within the main circuit, a rotating circnit breaker located between the terminals ot' the main circuit, and ashort circuit, IC, connected with the generator at a point between the gcnerator and the electro-magnet and having an additional terminal, c, resting normally out ot" contact with the main-circuit terminal and adapted, as described, to close simultaneously (by the action ot' the circuit-breaker) both a short circuit for the generator and a circuit for the extra current of thc electromagnet j ust belore the breakage of the main circuit, and to retain the short circuits closed until the main circuit is broken, as and t'or the purpose described.

ALFRED Fitcrimvrlum., ANNIE M. LlicknNrugxLL. 

